Setting up a planted tank

Non puffer freshwater discussion. Don't tell your puffers, they'll be jealous!
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zombiefetus
Fahaka Puffer
Posts: 532
Joined: Mon Jun 18, 2007 1:57 am
Gender: Female
Location (country): Illinois, USA
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Setting up a planted tank

Post by zombiefetus »

It's been several years since I've had any tanks set up, and the urge suddenly hit me a few days ago, and I drunkenly purchased a filter off ebay, so I guess I'm setting up a fish tank now.
I've always had Puffers pretty much since I first started keeping fish, but my husband has always wanted a "more interesting tank" (as he calls it) with plants and schools of little fish moving around. So I am setting up my very first planted tank.

I could use a bit of insight/opinions on some of the equipment I'm thinking of purchasing. And also any help with my stock list/plant list, etc.

Tank: 29 Gallon
Filter: I have a bunch of HOB filters sitting brand new in boxes in the basement, but I had heard some good things regarding the SunSun canister filters and for $25 decided it was worth a shot as I would rather have a canister filter than a big thing on the back. But worst case scenario I can switch it out.
Lighting: https://www.amazon.com/Finnex-Ray2-Aqua ... op?ie=UTF8
I've been looking at a lot of lights and ended up wanting to stick with LED and with a budget of under $100, so this is where I ended up. But I'm almost afraid it'll be too bright after reading the comments on the amazon page, and there was some concern over it not having a full color spectrum of light.
CO2: Two full days of reading a thousand articles and forum posts and I ended up here: http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/20-di ... ?_k=hj59ia
We purchased all the parts today off amazon. My husband is building it for me because even after two days of researching I still do not understand CO2 at all... Any tips or insight here would be very appreciated...
Substrate: currently trying to decide between CaribSea Eco-Complete and Flourite Black Sand. Would either of these be okay on their own? would I need to layer it with soil or something? The "look" I'm going for in the tank is black substrate and black rocks in a pile with plants (baby tears maybe?) growing out of them.

Plants: I'd like a carpet of dwarf hair grass, is there anything special I need to do to plant it/get it to grow and spread? Then I'm looking at something like Jungle Val in the back and something like baby tears in my rock pile.
Fish: 6x Celestial Pearl Danios, 4x Cherry Shrimp, 1x German Blue Ram, and.. something else? I haven't exactly decided.

Opinions? Anything obvious I have overlooked? Tips?
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pokeystar
Figure 8 Puffer
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Re: Setting up a planted tank

Post by pokeystar »

I would suggest thinking about what biotope you wish to create? The german blue ram makes me think its south american soft water set up? The celestial pearl danios may do better in a cooler tank though, temperature wise not décor. (http://www.tfhmagazine.com/details/arti ... y-tale.htm)
zombiefetus
Fahaka Puffer
Posts: 532
Joined: Mon Jun 18, 2007 1:57 am
Gender: Female
Location (country): Illinois, USA
Contact:

Re: Setting up a planted tank

Post by zombiefetus »

I don't really have a specific biotype in mind. From the research I have done it seems both species would do well at a temperature of about 75.
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